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Civil war cannon ball
Civil war cannon ball
Found this out back this morning. Thought it was a rock but after looking more it appeared perfectly round. Brushed it off and sure enough a magnet sticks. It's just a hair over 4.5" . I did some research and the 12 pound field howitzer had a 4.62" bore. My powder scale doesn't go to 12 pounds but It's heavy. It's origin is a mystery known only to the Confederate cemetery down the holler., I wouldn't have wanted it pointed at me.
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30-30, Helping bad fisherman eat since 1895
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clovishound
- Drover
- Posts: 2523
- Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:18 pm
- Location: Summerville SC
Re: Civil war cannon ball
Does it have a fuse, or fuse hole? A lot of the cannon balls were shells and filled with gunpowder. They would have a variety of fuses, some of which are still very dangerous. The mercury fulminate would be the main one to watch out for, they normally were brass fuses.
Had a fellow I knew at work that had lost a leg. As a boy, he and his friend were playing on one of the local beaches, and found a parrot shell. Parrot shells are notoriously dangerous. They started messing with it and it went off, resulting in his losing his leg.
I found a 12 pounder in one of the local rivers back when I was do a lot of diving. Yours is in much better shape. Sitting in brackish water for well over a century takes it's toll.
What part of South Carolina are you in?
Had a fellow I knew at work that had lost a leg. As a boy, he and his friend were playing on one of the local beaches, and found a parrot shell. Parrot shells are notoriously dangerous. They started messing with it and it went off, resulting in his losing his leg.
I found a 12 pounder in one of the local rivers back when I was do a lot of diving. Yours is in much better shape. Sitting in brackish water for well over a century takes it's toll.
What part of South Carolina are you in?
There is, I think, humor here which does not translate well from English to sanity. - Sanya
Re: Civil war cannon ball
In Calhoun County about 20 miles south of Columbia.
30-30, Helping bad fisherman eat since 1895
Re: Civil war cannon ball
What a great find and a very neat piece of history.
Paul
Paul
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clovishound
- Drover
- Posts: 2523
- Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:18 pm
- Location: Summerville SC
Re: Civil war cannon ball
Just up the road.
There is, I think, humor here which does not translate well from English to sanity. - Sanya
Re: Civil war cannon ball
Just got here, there's a rifle range not far I gotta check out
30-30, Helping bad fisherman eat since 1895
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Vaquero
- Ranch Boss
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- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:56 am
- Location: Somewhere between Memphis & Nashville
Re: Civil war cannon ball
Nice find oldbrass, I have a couple myself.
RP
RP
Monte Walsh "You have No idea how little I care". 
Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament
Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012
Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament
Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012
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BrokenolMarine
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 7475
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 8:28 am
- Location: South Central Oklahoma in the mountains
Re: Civil war cannon ball
Nice... Great find.
You can tell a lot about the character of a man...
by the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
I don't look back at the things I can no longer do, I just look forward to the things I still can.
by the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
I don't look back at the things I can no longer do, I just look forward to the things I still can.
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markiver54
- Deputy Marshal
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- Location: Biue Ridge Mountains, NC
Re: Civil war cannon ball
How does it compare to a shot put ball?...just a thought.
I'm your Huckleberry
Re: Civil war cannon ball
High school boy’s shot puts are 12 pounds
"when you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk"
Igitur quī dēsīderat pācem, præparet bellum
Igitur quī dēsīderat pācem, præparet bellum
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Vaquero
- Ranch Boss
- Posts: 12126
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:56 am
- Location: Somewhere between Memphis & Nashville
Re: Civil war cannon ball
I dug mine out, pictured with a baseball for size reference.
I have/had a smaller one about the size of a golf ball, but I don't know of it's whereabouts.
One of the grandsons was probably playing with so.who knows.
RP
I have/had a smaller one about the size of a golf ball, but I don't know of it's whereabouts.
One of the grandsons was probably playing with so.who knows.
- 20220813_112319.jpg (117.62 KiB) Viewed 462 times
RP
Monte Walsh "You have No idea how little I care".
Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament
Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012
Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament
Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012
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Kissmybrass
- Cattle Driver
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2021 1:00 pm
- Location: Issaquah
Re: Civil war cannon ball
What an awesome discovery!!! Is there a nearby battlefield or was there a military assemblance of some sort in the 17-1800's?
H010G 45-70
H006M Big Boy Classic .357
Sig 320 XCompact
S&W 686 Plus 5"
Rem 870 Tac
H006M Big Boy Classic .357
Sig 320 XCompact
S&W 686 Plus 5"
Rem 870 Tac
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fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 7089
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.
Re: Civil war cannon ball
That is a great find and how safe is it to handle? Around here in the Petersburg / Richmond area they still find these when doing new construction work and some old homes in Petersburg and surrounding battle areas have had them found inside walls. I have found many mini balls over the years but not a cannon ball.